UFC 115 The Aftermath

The 115^th UFC namesake event was one of those great cases in MMA that shined much brighter in practice than on paper. Recall in my last blog when I said that virtually every main card fight could be a show stealing fight of the night. As it turns out I was just about spot on.

Lets all get reacquainted with Martin Kampmann and fast. For a kick boxer, this guy has some serious ground skills. He was able to nullify Paulo Thiago and scrap out a convincing win. I have said before that my biggest concern with this young man is his consistency. In this fight we saw that he could fight his fight against a well-rounded, highly skilled fighter for three full rounds. That deserves a nod up the ranks if you ask me. The big boys of Yvel and Rothwell gave us three full rounds as well. Some fans are blowing this match off as two out of shape fighters flailing at and laying on each other. I thought it was two big boys who were scrapping it out and giving it hell. Sure Rothwell could have possibly been more aggressive going for the kill but I am not a fighter so I digress. Hats off to matchmaking for putting two evenly matched fighters in the cage.

You can’t ask for much more from a fight than three full rounds of action and a last second, legitimized stop. Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit brought their A games to open the show. MacDonald seemed to be living up to the hype until round three when Condit again showed he is 250 pounds of resilience in a 170 pound bag. Condit finally looked like he might live up to his nickname in the closing seconds of the fight, throwing everything he had into finishing his blue-chip opponent. However Rory MacDonald wasn’t the only rising star to fall in the final seconds of a fight. Mirko Cro Cop came out looking like a new man, finishing the impressive Pat Berry before the bell. I am not saying Cro Cop is back, but this is infinitely more impressive than virtually anything we have seen from the kick boxer since arriving in the UFC. I say that because I believe in the skills of Berry and therefore must believe in the performance of Cro Cop. Without getting ones hopes too high, lets cross our fingers that this is a sign of things to come from a man once the most feared striker in MMA.

Despite the busy under card one story rightfully emerged from UFC 115 as the most significant, the story of the main event. It might have been the shortest fight of the main card but it was full of storylines and interest. Rich Franklin put an exclamation point on his announcement that he has entered the ranks of light-heavyweight, not only beating the legendary Chuck Liddell but putting him out convincingly while suffering a broken arm. Just as emphatic as Franklin enters the division, Liddell bows out, now dropping 5 of his last 6 fights, 4 by KO. Liddell has left a legacy that will never be forgotten but I think it is safe to say that now is the time step away from the game gracefully. One last throw-down with Tito Ortiz will be dreadfully tempting for the Iceman and could be the perfect send off, but Liddell and his fans should ponder if it is worth the chance that Ortiz could get bragging rights for the rest of his days. Liddell looked sharp in the round with Franklin, leading some to whole-heartedly endorse his return, but his best days are behind him. The new, healthy lifestyle Liddell can be a priceless ambassador for the sport. Better that than test how many KOs it takes to tarnish a legacy.